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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Jana M. Mossey, PhD, MPH, MSN, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Mail Stop 660 245 N. 15th Street, Bellet Bldg, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, 215-762-8245, Jana.Mossey@drexel.edu and Miriam Moss, MA, Polisher Research Institute, Abramson Center for Jewish Life, 1452 Horsham Rd, North Wales, PA 19454.
While the significance of major depression is well recognized, the importance of sub-threshold depression has largely been ignored by public health and medical practitioners. Using interview data from 600 community dwelling elders 70 years and older, this paper examines the prevalence and clinical significance of sub-threshold depression and addresses the implications for public health and medical care delivery. Using answers on the Center for Epidemiologic Depression Scale (CES-D) and additional questions assessing depressive symptoms, 31 individuals (5.2%) were classified as major depressed (MD), 133 (22.2%) as sub-threshold depressed (SD), and 436 (72.7%) as not depressed (ND). Predictably, statistically significant. poorer scores on health status indicators of physical, functional, and social health were observed for the MD group than for ND group members. Compared to the ND group, MD group members averaged about twice the number of physician visits (12.9 vs. 22.1) and hospital days (5.2 vs. 12.1) in the preceding 12 months. Importantly, statistically significant, poorer scores on the health status indicators and health care use variables were also observerd for the SD group than for the ND group. SD group members averaged over 1.5 times the number of physician visits and almost 2 times the number of hospital days than ND members. With a prevalence of 22%, the public health burden of an even modest impact of sub-threshold depression on life quality and functioning of older individuals is substantial. Coordinated efforts between public health and medical care sectors for case finding and treatment of SD group members are essential.
Learning Objectives: Session attendees will be able to
Keywords: Depression, Aging
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.